World Peace in the 1970's- By Peyton Haecker

A tribute to John Lennon's idea of world peace described in the song "Imagine".

The song that I have chosen is "Imagine" by John Lennon and it was released September 9th 1971. There are many issues that are addressed in this song but the main issue that I have chosen to write about is "peace". Through this 1970's hit song, I would like to show the several different issues and problems creating a stirrup of violence in the world at this time and the way that John Lennon says: "imagine all the people living as one."

Lyrics to "Imagine" by John Lennon:

Facts about world peace in the 1970's:

• Four members of the "Chicago 7" were convicted of crossing state lines in order to create riots 1968 Democratic Presidential Election in Chicago.
• Four students from Kent State University in Ohio were killed and nine were wounded by National Guardsmen during a protest against Vietnam war spread into Cambodia.

• A forty-four day raid into Laos by South Vietnamese soldiers is begun with the aid of the United States.

• The "journey for peace" trip is made by the President to Peking, China begins. The journey lasted eight days with President at the time, Richard M. Nixon to discuss the beginning of peace with China.
• The largest attacks by North Vietnam troops prompts bombing raids again by the Unites States, ending a four year end to those raids.
• The Watergate crisis is started with four men getting arrested for breaking into into the Democratic National Committee headquarters in the Watergate office building in Washington D.C.
• Eight terrorists form the Palestinian terrorist organization raided the building that was housing the Israeli athletes at the XXth Olympic Games in Munich Germany. Two people were killed and nine were taken hostage.

• Four part Vietnam peace pacts, called the Paris Peace Accords, were signed in Paris, France.
• The Arab Oil Embargo was created stating that oil imports from Arab oil-producing nations are banned to the United States after the start of the Arab-Israeli war. This would then be creating the 1973 energy crisis.
• Egypt and Syria declare war on Israel on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in Judaism.

• Impeachment discussions of President Nixon begins in the House Judiciary committee. The United States Supreme Court rules on July 24th that the President must give them the sixty four tapes of the white house discussions about White House meetings about the Watergate scandal.

• Communist forces complete their takeover of South Vietnam, forcing the evacuation from Saigon of civilians from the United States. This also brought the surrender of South Vietnam.

• Israeli commandos hijacked Air France plane in a Uganda airport released one hundred and three hostages held by a pro-Palesteinien terrorist group.

• Fifteen countries around the world including the United States and the Soviet Union sign a nuclear growth pact, slowly expanding the use of nuclear weapons around the world.

• Jonestown Massacre occurs and kills 912 people.

• The Iran hostage crisis when sixty three Americans were taken hostage at the United States embassy in Tehran.
• Nuclear accident occurs at Three Mile Island.
• The Soviet Union invaded Afganistan that would lead to an ongoing war that would last 10 years.

Response to Lyrics:

I like the point that John Lennon is making in the song "Imagine". It is not just an idea that was aspired in the 1970's. It is an idea that is still desired today in present day. I noticed a common pattern in the facts about world peace: several of the facts are driven or resulting in violence between battling nations/groups of people. The sudden terrorists outbursts and use of nuclear weapons continues to grow and the will for world peace is desired even more. When the song says "Imagine there's no countries,... nothing to kill or die for..." John Lennon is saying that if there were no countries, on one would have to go to war and die for their country or kill someone else because of their country/religion. The people of the world might just get along better if there was one thing to fight for: just peace as ONE.

Lennon arrives with the Beatles in New York February 1964.

Bio Artists:
The song "Imagine" was written and sung by British rock musician John Lennon. John Lennon was born October 9th 1940 during the Nazi bombing of Britain. In 1956, Lennon was given his first guitar and that same year formed his first group called the "Quarrymen" who eventually became the Beatles. Fifteen years later, Lennon released "Imagine". It was the hit single on his album 'Imagine' that was released in 1971. Ever since Imagine was released it has made most inspirational song lists and greatest hits of all time lists. In 1999 Imagine was declared to be one of the 100 most performed songs of the 20th century! In addition, in 2004, Imagine was ranked as #3 on the Rolling Stone's top 500 songs of all time. John Lennon was a former member of the English rock band, The Beatles , which became one of the most commercially successful groups of all time. John Lennon was a peace activist who advocated finding peace through political issues. The other members of the Beatles hit music group, Paul McCartney , George Harrison , and Ringo Starr were also on the list of notable peace activists in history.

The hit rock band sang about love, peace, drugs, freedom, and many other topics that typical music groups sang about in the 1970's. The Beatles band continued to record #1 hit singles until their break up in 1970 after 10 years together as a band. After the Beatles break up in 1970, Lennon released a single album concerning his emotions about losing his mother and the Beatles band breaking up. A year later, Lennon made his 'Imagine' album talking about all the conflicts in the world and his desire for world peace. Lennon wrote this song to express his response to his peace activists work and world peace as a global goal. In an interview with David Sheff in 1980, Sheff asked Lennon:
On a new album, you close with "Hard Times Are Over (For a While)". Why?

Lennon replied with:
It's not a new message: "Give Peace a Chance" — we're not being unreasonable. Just saying "give it a chance." With "Imagine" we're asking, "can you imagine a world without countries or religions?" It's the same message over and over. And it's positive.

Lennon is advocating the idea of no religions or countries. Therefore, there would not be anything to fight over. This is a common idea in many of Lennon's songs although it is not as directly mentioned in some of the the songs.

Opinion Piece:

I think that John Lennon's idea that there should be a worldwide desire for international peace is great. I completely agree that the countries of the world should fight to create peace between disagreeing nations. Although I love the idea of world peace among conflicting countries should sought to be reached, I do not agree completely with what he says about no religions or countries. I completely support the idea of world peace but I don't feel that the world could function without religion. Religion defines who you are. It might divide people based on beliefs but it does so with a worthy cause. The world does not need war, but the people of the world do need something to differentiate them from each other based on their beliefs and values. Religion could cause problems but it still offers something to look to when people are in need and a different outlook on the world. It gives people something to "fight" for. When I say fight, I don't want to "fight" per say but to discuss different beliefs and to accept other's values. The same applies for countries. Although a world without countries would definitely create less problems, without something to belong to and willing to risk your life to protect, the world could be more different than someone would think. People would all agree but there would be no discussion or compromises that would create even stronger bonds and trusts between people of different areas. I have learned through this research about the problems in this time period. We know through the Internet, TV, public word, book, and other media about the issues and conflicts that occur TODAY but we never really learn about the devastating things that occurred years before we were born. The issues that existed back then have lead to some changes made but also some changes that have failed to be made. With regards to the "journey of peace" make my Nixon to China to discuss peace between the nations, it showed the importance of compromise and discussions about peace rather than continuing to fight. Although this journey for peace showed that a compromise to create peace can be done, but will not always be chosen in order to reach a group's/country's goals. I think that countries should strive for the future to discuss their problems and issues rather than to fight. Although I encourage this and it definitely should be done, I also would like people to continue to "fight" for your religion and country. It is something that you stand for and believe in and you should do anything to protect it. I do want the world to recognize the important of world peace, I do not want the people of world to by pass any issue merely to maintain peace. If there is a problem, discuss it but do not just let it pass, for that could lead to more problems.

As Lennon says in Imagine:

"You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one..."

For more in the 1970's.... Click here .


Bibliography
http://americasbesthistory.com/abhtimeline1970.html
http://www.inthe70s.com/timeline.shtml
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imagine_(song)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1970s
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ringo_Star
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_McCartney
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_beatles